Nightwood Editions Authors at VERSeFest in Ottawa

Posted: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 2:48pm

VERSeFest attracts some of the best poets from Canada and around the world to its annual poetry festival in Ottawa. This year, Nightwood Editions authors will be reading at the festival that takes place between February 28 and March 4.

Gregory Scofield’s most recent book is Louis: The Heretic Poems, which reveals a different side of Louis Riel. This collection juxtaposes historical events and quotes with poetic narrative, drawing attention to the side of the Metis leader that most Canadians have never contemplated: that of husband, father, friend and lover, poet and visionary. Gregory will be at the Arts Court Theatre (2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa) on Wednesday, February 29 at 9:00pm. Also reading with Gregory on February 29 is Nightwood fiction author Christian McPherson (author of The Cube People), who will be sharing some of his dynamic poetry from his other books.

Tim Bowling is the author of a number of poetry collections, his latest being Tenderman. As always, his verse is stunning in its haunting portrayal of west coast imagery. In exploring the tenderman (a crewman on a salmon packing boat), Bowling outlines the tension between the sensitive poetic observer and the tough, working-class subject.

Erris the latest collection from innovative and accomplished poet Shane Rhodes, who will be reading with Tim Bowling. It is a collision of sex, booze, war and wordplay that makes for an engaging, unusual and delightful read. Bowling and Rhodes will be at the Arts Court Theatre on Saturday, March 3 at 5:00pm.

For more information about this VERSeFest, or any of the authors who will be reading or performing, go to www.versefest.com.